Warhammer 40k: Melee Warriors

Koken was somewhat surprised because he could tell that these failed prototypes were crude imitations of the Redemption-type combat suit. However, it was clear that Dogel's researchers did not understand the machine created by the will, nor could they comprehend the working principle of the Xuan-style defensive armor, ultimately resulting in this monstrous shape with distorted appearance and unstable performance.

"Ma Wen, Fei Ling, you two are responsible for dealing with this filth!"

"Yes, Saint Otto!"

Chapter 543: The Charge of the Imperial Knights

The failed prototypes, modeled after combat suits, moved in a way reminiscent of the twisted, chaotic creation of the Chaos Egg. The pilots, fused with the cockpit, seemed to have no concept of controlling their feet, only knowing how to propel their entire bodies forward. Soon, the released prototypes rolled over like waves of flesh, iron, and filth, mercilessly crushing the rebel soldiers who should have fought alongside them. They released their resentment and bitterness at being imprisoned in this cage by tearing apart their flesh and splattering their blood and flesh.

With the Salvation Army bombarding them from the front and the experimental subjects slaughtering them from behind, the hundreds of thousands of rebel soldiers caught in the middle were trapped, unable to advance or retreat. Their faces were pale as they looked back and forth. Finally, they gritted their teeth and chose to turn back and fight the Salvation Army to the death.

Dying at the hands of experimental subjects is far more terrifying than being bombed by fighter jets...

"Kill them! If we don't kill them, none of us will survive!"

The defeated army, gripped by fear, launched a counterattack against the Savior's forces, their bodies trembling. This brought a smile to the somewhat tense Dojeel's face. He didn't expect these soldiers to defeat the Savior's forces, but every second they could buy them was a step closer to the Twisted Titan's maturity.

The orc soldiers and their combat suits fought side by side, and the hail of bullets they fired killed as many of the counterattacking rebel soldiers as they came. Soon, the factory, which was filled with the light of Nightmare Industry, was filled with disgusting blood and the wails of dying souls.

The rebel soldiers were almost completely slaughtered, and the test subjects behind them rushed forward. Gate felt nauseous at the sight of the test subjects crowding together and surging forward. He drank a sip of Beast Brew and felt a little better. If ordinary Imperial soldiers were to block the onslaught of these test subjects, even if they could hold their ground, they would go insane during their brief rest.

"Keep the fire! Don't let those things get close to us!" Gate pulled the trigger of the multi-barreled Howler shotgun. He would never normally waste bullets like this, but his Atonement combat suit was no ordinary one. It had a huge and heavy bullet backpack specially installed on his back, which allowed Gate to fire continuously for two and a half hours without worrying about running out of bullets.

Getter wasn't the only one whose combat suit had been modified; war is always a better test of a weapon's limits than experimentation.

The Redemption-type combat suit is only a light armored unit and is not capable of carrying heavy artillery, but the ingenuity that soldiers unleash in order to achieve victory and survive always allows them to find ways to solve these problems.

They assigned weapons that were typically used by multiple squads to the Atonement combat suits, such as the Imperium’s standard Locker missile launcher. This powerful weapon was quite bulky and could not be fired while on the move; only Space Marines could use it alone.

They even modified the chassis of heavy artillery so that several combat suits could carry the heavy artillery together and quickly move it to a firing position.

Right behind Gate, you can see these specially modified combat suits. Among them, the combat suit squads of five suits are particularly eye-catching because they carried a Ground Shatter cannon from the rear to the front line and loaded the cannon with an efficiency that ordinary soldiers could not match.

This unauthorized modification of the cannon and its use in violation of the Ministry of Military Affairs' standards naturally drew a lot of discontent and opposition. However, Komi did not criticize the soldiers' ingenious ideas, but simply coldly responded to those who had objections.

"The machine spirit hasn't said a word, so why are you in such a hurry? The machine spirit isn't some inanimate object; if it feels uncomfortable, it will naturally resist the soldiers' actions."

Furthermore, Komi also missed the way the combat suits used heavy artillery on the front lines. He told the soldiers that in the distant Holy Terra, there was once an invincible army that used artillery in the same way, which they called: bayonets on cannons.

This story greatly inspired the soldiers. So while other imperial armies were still methodically concentrating heavy artillery, setting up positions, adjusting firing parameters, and then bombarding the enemy positions, the Saviors' combat uniforms gave the heavy artillery unprecedented mobility, allowing them to rush to the front lines, lay the cannons flat, and fire at the enemy.

Every shell fired at close range destroyed an enemy bunker instead of leaving a smoking crater on the ground. During the gap when fighter planes returned to resupply after their air raids, the heavy firepower support of the rescue army was entirely met by these combat uniforms that were running around everywhere.

The cannons roared, creating holes in the ever-flowing ocean of experimental subjects. Amidst the flames of exploding shells and the black smoke of burning experimental subjects' flesh and blood, two Imperial Knights charged into the battlefield with unwavering resolve.

Filde pilots a Watcher Knight (the model was incorrect in the previous chapters). Among the many types of Knights, this is a very powerful mechanical steed. The Avenger Gatling gun, the Knight-type chainsaw sword, and the missile launcher on its back make the Watcher Knight a versatile machine that dominates close and mid-range combat.

During the charge, Filde activated the Knight's Avenger Gatling gun, a fearsome weapon with an extremely high rate of fire. A single burst of shells shattered an entire column of test subjects into pieces.

But the machine spirit residing within was not satisfied. It forcefully took control of the knight, unleashing the Avenger Gatling gun to fire at an explosive rate, leaving an entire area riddled with bullet holes.

“Ancestor, this will put too much strain on the Gatling gun.” Fei Ling looked at the red-hot, smoking barrel and tried to persuade her with some concern, but the Machine Soul just snorted in response.

"The Gatling gun is unusable, but don't you still have the chainsaw sword? Brave and honorable warriors should settle their scores in close combat!"

Fei Ling was speechless for a moment. She wanted to emphasize that the Pride of Iris had injured a leg, but then she thought that even if she reminded it, she would only receive the contempt of the machine spirit, so she gave up.

Our ancestors were right...

Glory should be decided in close combat! It's just too boring to bombard these filthy, twisted things with the Avenger Gatling gun.

Fei Ling's gaze changed, her eyes flashing with a desire for battle. Her performance at this moment finally earned her rare praise from the Machine Soul.

“That’s right. Leave the remote support to your friends. That’s what Crusader Knights are for.”

"Yes, ancestor."

The Pride of Iris charged forward, its massive chainsaw sword unstoppable by any of the test subjects. Each strike shattered more than twenty test subjects with the spinning chainsaw blades.

Ah... Fei Ling rushed up there!

Ma Wen was somewhat helpless about Fei Ling's actions. She observed Gu Jian and was relieved to find that he didn't seem angry.

Alas, the saint has forgiven your willfulness, Fei Ling.

Then Mawen provided fire support for Felix and the Saviors. The Crusader Knight she was riding was now equipped with a specialized Avenger Gatling gun and a thermal cannon, with an Icarus-type anti-aircraft gun mounted on its back.

Chapter 544: Who is watching me in the dark?

Having only ranged weapons is not the only difference between the Watcher Knight and the Crusader Knight. The Crusader Knight also has a more humble and gentle machine spirit. While Filyn is troubled by the Watcher Knight's irritability, Mawen has already built a close friendship with the Crusader Knight's machine spirit, like sisters.

bang bang bang...

Compared to the Gatling gun of the Watcher Knight, which fires a storm of rapid shells, Mawen prefers to use precise bursts of fire to dismantle enemies that threaten the Knight. If necessary, Mawen can even hit the same spot with the shells to penetrate the vehicle's thick armor.

The two knights worked together flawlessly. Filyn used her chainsaw sword to cut a bloody path through the test subjects. Even if a test subject managed to cling to a knight, Mawen could use precise shots to clean it off.

Victory seemed to be beckoning to the savior's army, but Koji, who had been observing the battle, still felt something was amiss. He vaguely sensed that in this factory filled with chaotic energy, there were some sinister beings secretly watching him.

"Kranka, what are the results of the bird divination?" Komi asked. Some sweat beaded on Kranka's forehead. The light spots on the battlefield-type spirit bird divination device were becoming more and more dense. The souls of the Savior Army soldiers and the fallen souls were intertwined, making it difficult for Kranka to analyze the images more specifically and accurately.

Koji could tell from Kranka's somewhat embarrassed expression. He gripped the hilt of his sword and released two demons to scout the chaotic battlefield, while simultaneously scanning the dark corners inch by inch with his sharp eyes.

What on earth is staring at me...?

dong dong dong...

A rhythmic sound, like a heartbeat, echoed through the factory. Komi saw the factory walls in the distance, resembling a battlefield, cracking open, and thick alloy beams slowly spreading outwards, revealing the workshop where the Twisted Titans were manufactured.

The Twisted Titan is truly enormous; its exposed upper body alone is over 50 meters tall. If it were standing on the ground, its full height would easily exceed 100 meters!

Dorjeer invested a huge amount of resources in building this Titan. Vehicles such as the Leman Rustank and Chimera armored vehicles produced by the Enschold Tank Factory became part of this Titan.

A thousand cannons were stacked and interwoven to form the head of this twisted titan. The thick Leman Rustank armor was glued together layer by layer with flesh and blood, and the tracks were tangled together to become the long whip that the twisted titan used to lash the earth.

The only saving grace is that the Twisted Titan was never completed. It resembled a mutilated corpse, with no armor or skin protecting its chest cavity, which exposed its core, composed of numerous vehicle engines and living human hearts, from which came the heavy heartbeat.

What are the enemies trying to do? Are they trying to scare me off with the appearance of a twisted titan?

The question had barely crossed Komi's mind when the unfinished Twisted Titan let out a low growl, and the blood energy that had gathered throughout the factory flowed toward his body, forming a blood membrane on his bare chest.

Hmm? Dojeel can't wait any longer and is going to grit his teeth and forcefully activate this Twisted Titan!

Koji could make that judgment, and so could his skilled and experienced subordinates. At the forefront, Filde was determined to pierce the heart of this twisted Titan with her chainsaw sword. She cried out for the Savior's protection, urging the knights to continue their charge.

"Wait for Feiling, you've gone too far!" Ma Wen shouted in the communication. Feiling was still within the range of her weapon, but it would take some time for the shell to reach Feiling. If Feiling was ambushed, she would not be able to provide her with timely fire support.

However, her voice could not reach Felix's ears; the breathing of the Twisted Titan, devouring blood energy, interfered with their communication.

At this moment, Fei Ling was also caught up in the killing frenzy. Her thoughts resonated with the volatile machine spirit, and she was infected by the machine spirit's pride, believing that no one in the tank factory could stop her.

"Get out of my way! You filthy things, I have no time to waste on you!" Felix's voice came through the megaphone on her knight's shell. Her chainsaw sword was stained dark red with blood, and the experimental remains piled up at her feet were more than three meters high.

Felix continued forward, crossing several mountains of corpses taller than her knight.

Huh? How were these mountains formed? Were they formed by artillery fire?

As Fei Ling passed by the mountains of corpses with doubt in her heart, she suddenly saw the mountains of corpses tremble. The next second, a knight-shaped chainsaw sword exuding a blasphemous aura broke through the mountains of corpses and slashed at her.

They are the enemy lying in ambush! They are the fallen knights who betrayed their savior!

Filyn, who was on guard in advance, was not too surprised. Instead, she felt a strong desire to fight. She was already tired of eliminating those experimental subjects that posed no threat to the Pride of Iris.

Very well! Before piercing the heart of that Titan, let's warm up by killing you traitorous knights!

Fei Ling and Ji Hun laughed heartily, as if on cue. At that moment, she glanced back, wanting Gu Jian to praise her heroic performance.

To her disappointment, Komi didn't look at her. Instead, he tilted his head back and scanned the sky as if searching for something.

Hmm... The saint must think I can easily defeat these fallen knights, so they're not worth his precious attention, right?

Fei Ling was a little sad, but she found a reason to comfort herself. She didn't dwell on the problem for long and immediately threw herself into the battle.

Clang!

Two knight-style chainsaw swords collided in mid-air, their sturdy, sharp teeth meshing tightly, sparks flying down.

"Your fate is singular: to perish amidst the lies woven by the Corpse King," the fallen knight, emerging from the mountain of corpses, said in a low voice to Fei Ling.

Even if Fei Ling heard such nonsense, she couldn't be bothered to think about it, and simply raised the Avenger Gatling gun...

Want to fire at close range? How foolish. I only need to get one step closer and all your efforts will be wasted.

The Fallen Knight scoffed inwardly, thinking he had accurately predicted Felix's next move. But to his surprise, Felix had no intention of shoving the cannon into the Fallen Knight's mouth to fire. Instead, she used the weapon as a club, striking the Fallen Knight's skeletal face directly.

what! ?

The Fallen Knight was stunned by the hard slap. In his understanding, the pilots of the Imperial Knights were a group of law-abiding old-fashioned people who would never do something so unconventional.

"That was fantastic! You really are talented!" The machine spirit of Iris's Pride clearly sensed the Fallen Knight's bewilderment and laughed happily. "Perhaps I should suggest to those mechanical monks that they add another bayonet to the Avenger Gatling gun!"

Encouraged, Felix unleashed a barrage of attacks with her Avenger Gatling gun, finally bringing the Fallen Knight to his breaking point. She then seized the opportunity to pull their intertwined chainswords apart, and as the Fallen Knight tilted downwards with the force of the impact, she slashed his belly, disemboweling him.

Chapter 545: This is the way the knightly family does things

The fallen knight that attempted to ambush Filde crashed to the ground, but this was only the beginning. Loyal to Dorgel was an entire family of knights, not just two lone knights.

After the Fallen Knight's sneak attack failed, the traitorous knight family slowly emerged from the last line of defense. Four Ranger Knights and six Squire Knights were the entirety of this knight family's strength, as the remaining knights had all perished in the civil war.

Imperial Knights are divided into five ranks: Attendant, Ranger, Commander, Serasto, and Acasto. Each rank is further divided into different models based on their battlefield role.

Characters like Felix's Watcher Knight - Iris's Pride and Mawen's Crusader Knight - Cobalt Sapphire, as well as the four Ranger Knights they are about to face, are all Cruiser-class Knights.

The Squire Knight is the most basic knight type in the Imperial Knights. When the main force of the Ranger Knights and the even more powerful Commander Knights, who can only be ridden by noble knights and patriarchs of knightly families, enter the battlefield, the Squire Knights' job is to cover their flanks, provide reconnaissance, harass the enemy, or even form a separate, flexible strike squad to carry out covert and rapid assault operations in the shadow of Titans and Grand Knights.

When the knights gathered, they would employ an ancient tactic: the patrol knights would form a charging lance line, while the squire knights would stand on either side of the lance line to fire, providing cover for the knights' charge.

This tactic may seem simple, and even somewhat reckless, as it involves risking death under enemy fire. However, with the powerful performance of the Knight Mech, this tactic can destroy the enemy's entire defensive line in the shortest possible time.

The alloy used to build the Knight's mech can withstand almost all conventional firepower. If the ion shield outside the Knight can be properly maneuvered, it is not impossible to block the main cannon fire of the Poison Blade.

This is why when two Knights of the same level meet, their victory or defeat often depends on the indestructible chainsaw swords in their hands. Neither the Avenger Gatling gun nor the thermal cannon can destroy the Knight's armor in an instant.

Besides excellent defense, sufficient firepower is also key to supporting this tactic. The Avenger Gatling guns equipped by the Watchers of Felix, firing at full speed, can keep hundreds or even thousands of test subjects from getting close, while the thermal cannons equipped by the Ranger Knights in the distance can easily send an entire armored company into the air.

In the past, Filde was always part of the knights' lance formation, accompanied by equally noble and brave knights, and she would never waver no matter how terrifying or twisted the enemy was.

Now, seeing the traitorous knight family forming a familiar gun formation, with squire knights standing on both sides providing cover, Fei Ling immediately felt immense pressure weighing on her heart, and the sense of honor she had just felt from executing a fallen knight vanished.

Tsk... How can there be so many? How are we going to win? Even if the Pride of Iris can overpower a Ranger Knight in melee combat with its superior performance, and Mawen's Crusader Knight can suppress four Squire Knights in terms of firepower, what are we going to do with the remaining three Ranger Knights and two Squire Knights?

I'm certain that once my chainsword pierces one of the Ranger Knights, the remaining three chainswords will slam into the Pride of Iris, and those lowly squires will unleash their feeble firepower on my knight's armor!